Tis The Season
by Bralt
Summary: Just a bunch of one-shots and songfics and whatnot for the jolly holidays here.
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or any of its characters or the song Let It Snow_**

**_Okay, so I planned on posting this tomorrow with some other things but the waiting for this day to end is getting really torturous so I needed to do SOMETHING. Also, sorry for not updating on Past Mistake but I've been writing other things for Christmas_**

**_Oh the weather outside is frightful  
But the fire is so delightful  
And since we've no place to go  
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!_**

Halt cast a glance at the window that looked out onto the courtyard. Snow was hammering against it and he could hear the wind howling like a pack of wolves. Icicles hung from the window frame that looked like the long fangs of a yawning beast, showing how cold it really was outside. He shivered mentally at the thought of going out there to get back to his cabin. Pauline noticed where he was looking and pressed herself further into his grip. He took his gaze away from the window and let the warmth of the fire flow through him. It was so comfortable and he was tempted to stay but knew he couldn't. They were no more than extremely close friends and he knew it'd be unacceptable to stay, no matter how much he wanted to. But for now it could snow all it wanted for he didn't have to leave just yet.

**_It doesn't show signs of stopping  
And I've bought some corn for popping  
The lights are turned way down low  
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!_**

About half an hour passed of the couple idly talking about random topics work related and not. The fire began to burn low and left them in dim light as the moon offered very little light despite its fullness. Pauline untangled herself from Halt's arms, claiming that she was going to make tea for herself and coffee for him. Halt debated following her into the kitchen but there wasn't much he could do to help so stayed on the couch. His attention went back to the window as it rattled from the still powerful wind. Halt even thought it'd grown in strength as specks of snow continued to die from hitting the glass so hard. He definitely didn't feel like going out in that kind of weather and entertained himself with thoughts of sitting next to the fire for the rest of the night with Pauline. Though the cabin was comfortable and quite warm with a fire lit, it often became drafty with high winds and another thing was she wasn't there with him. Pauline returned with the drinks before he could get too lost in thoughts and curled up next to him. It didn't take long for them to drift back into the conversation they'd been having.

**_When we finally kiss goodnight  
How I'll hate going out in the storm!  
But if you'll really hold me tight  
All the way home I'll be warm  
The fire is slowly dying  
And, my dear, we're still goodbying  
But as long as you love me so  
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!_**

The wind still howled outside and seemed to be at its fiercest point when Halt decided it time to go. Though he wanted to stay, he held his gentleman like manners, ones he only had around her, and persisted upon leaving. It wouldn't be right staying and rumors were something he didn't want spreading because he'd been too wimpy to ride a small distance home. Getting up from the couch, Halt delayed his departure by making a detour to the table to place his empty mug. After that, he made long work of replacing his boots upon his feet and getting his cloak on. When he was done with those long tasks and there was no other reason to not leave, Pauline gave him a farewell peck on the cheek and embraced him in a hug. Warmth seeped through him again almost as greatly as the now dying fire. Halt returned the hug tightly. By the time they separated the fire was all but gone. Before he could leave, Pauline hugged him once more, saying it was to keep him warm on the way home.

It was odd; he thought on the ride back, despite the coldness and the unforgiving power of the wind, he was quite warm. Like the lingering feeling of her hug was still traversing through him and keeping him warm as the snow buried itself in his collar and frosted to his eyebrows and beard. Whatever the case, he was fine with it snowing any time as hard as it wanted if it meant more hugs from the elegant courier.

**Terrible? Check. Somewhat related to the holiday? Half-check. Reviews? Up to you**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or any of its characters**

**This was inspired from the song 'I'll Be Home For Christmas' but I didn't really want to do it as a song fic so I made it a little one shot with one of my bad endings**

**I'll Be Home For Christmas**

Halt plowed ahead through the deep drifts of snow. Despite it being a rather well traveled trail, the past few weeks had been brutal and filled with snowstorms and not enough people traveled to keep it packed down. Normally Halt might have bedded down in the nearest inn until traveling was easier but he couldn't this time. Not with it being Christmas Eve. So instead of doing the sensible thing, which would be finding a warm inn to bed down in until the storms were over, Halt pushed on through the waist height snow.

As the wind battered at his face and the snow lodged itself in his collar, Halt couldn't help but think of the warm apartment he had back in Redmont. Pauline would have had Will bring in a tree and help with decorating. In fact, the entire castle would look splendid in a festive way with the way Arald liked to decorate. Mistletoe would be hanging from almost every doorway, lanterns with tinted glass would be hung from every available space and a giant tree would be set up in the ballroom with presents piled up for those in the ward. Halt was never one for celebrations like feasts and dances but Christmas time was perhaps his only exception.

So as he and Abelard continued on at an agonizingly slow pace, Halt kept himself busy by visioning what might be waiting for him. The past few days had been absolute hell if hell could ever freeze over. The thought that he wouldn't make it back in time had plagued Halt several times but it had to be ignored. He'd make it; there was no way he couldn't for he'd always made it.

It took what seemed like an eternity before the sun began to sink in the sky and make the temperature plummet even farther down. Still Halt wasn't at Redmont and, against better judgment, he pushed on. Will would be a bit let down if his mentor didn't make it and Pauline wouldn't be all that happy either. Added to that list, Halt would be grumpier than usual if he had to spend Christmas day freezing to a saddle and having icicles growing off his beard.

Halt only lasted about ten minutes more before the coldness began to seep into his bones. A legend could only take so much abuse from the wind and Halt, albeit grumpily, began to dismount. Before he could get off, Abelard neighed and shook his mane. Halt stopped what he was doing and raised an eyebrow at the horse.

"What?" he asked and ran a frozen hand along the horse's head. Abelard shook his mane again and trotted a few steps forward, angling his head upwards as if pointing. Halt looked and saw a glint of light through the almost completely white sky.

It was small but suspended at the height a castle might stand. Frowning, Halt looked at his surroundings, forcing himself to see past the snow. It was all there, from the familiar trees to the slight slope of the road leading out of the town. Halt looked back to where the light could be faintly seen and searched around it. There were several other places he could find a light and realized they were the tower rooms. Patting his horse again, Halt quickly settled himself back into the saddle and tapped Abelard's sides. Perhaps he would get home in time.

**Happy Holidays **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or any of its characters**

**The Elf Prince**

Halt frowned as he took the folded piece of parchment from the messenger. Shutting the door behind him, Halt returned to his seat on the couch by Pauline. Gilan, Alyss, Horace, Will and Jenny were sitting in chairs brought over from the table and watched as Halt sat back down.

"Whose it from?" Will, ever the questioner, asked. Halt tossed the parchment to the side and looked at his former apprentice.

"Sean," Halt said simply and accepted the mug of coffee that Gilan passed him.

"And you aren't going to read it?" This time it was Pauline.

"It's most likely just going to be some 'Happy Holidays, I hope you're still in one piece' message, nothing important," Halt replied, taking a long sip. Pauline frowned and the Ranger realized he'd have to look at it.

Picking it up from where it'd landed on the couch; Halt broke the wax seal and caught a folded attachment that started to flutter towards the floor.

"Dear Halt and company, I hope this letter finds you well and in a jolly mood for the holidays," Halt read. "Then he just goes on to talk about how he hopes we can join him next year. See? Nothing important." Halt looked at Pauline pointedly.

"What's that?" Will questioned, looking at the item Halt had caught and unable to wait for Halt to look himself.

"Mine," Halt said as if he weren't going to look. Will was about to object when Halt started unfolding the parchment.

Halt made sure to keep the parchment turned so Will couldn't see it until it was turned around and was glad he did that when he saw what it was. When he had lived in Hibernia as a child, it seemed that his parents had made him and Ferris the center of attention at every chance possible, especially during the holidays. One Christmas in particular they'd gotten the idea to dress up the twins. Halt, at the time, had been an inch or so shorter than Ferris and somehow ended up as the elf. They'd gone so far as to have a professional tailor make the red pointed hat and the festive getup. Even the shoes had been pointed and painted just like the ones elves wore in the myths. The entire day had been torture for Halt as he walked around in the costume his parents had set out for him. More than once he'd been stopped so artists could sketch out the 'Elf Prince'. It was a surprise only one suck artist got a good kick to the shins.

Making sure to keep it hidden, Halt grabbed the letter and skimmed it. His eyes came to rest on the last paragraph that read: _I found this while helping decorate. Thought you might want it._

Halt scowled and started to fold up the sketch.

"Well what is it?" Gilan asked, his ever present grin showing he knew it was something Halt didn't want them to see.

"Nothing," Halt muttered and stood to throw it into the fireplace. However, as he walked past Gilan, the Ranger snatched it out of his old mentor's hands. Halt threw him a look that equaled the power of a quiver full of arrows to the head. "Give that back you little-"

"Careful Halt, there are children in here!" Gilan said scoldingly and glanced at Horace who was smiling like a fool. "Now, I want to see what our friend, King Sean, has to say in regards to the holiday season," Gilan added and quickly unfolded the parchment before Halt could do anything.

It only took a few seconds before Gilan burst out in laughter at the sight of a small and angry Halt in a _very _festive getup. The sketch landed on the floor where anybody could see it and Horace and Will went down in laughter with their comrade before Halt managed to grab it and toss it into the flames. When he turned back around, Gilan, Horace and Will were still laughing like drunken Skandians while Alyss, Jenny and Pauline were fighting back their smiles. Halt glared at his wife and sat down in a huff beside her, continuing to shoot eye daggers at his former apprentices and the knight.

"All…all hail…the…the Elf Prince," Gilan said between bursts of laughter before he dissolved away again. Halt stood and grabbed his ex-apprentice by the collar. He was out the door before anybody could stop him, not that anybody was fond of the idea to follow.

To say the least, Gilan had a rather sopping wet, cold and not so jolly Christmas when the day was over.

**Again, terrible ending. Happy Holidays!**


End file.
